May 19, 2024 – Pentecost Year B

“When the day of Pentecost had come, [the apostles] were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabs—in our own languages we hear them speaking about God’s deeds of power.” All were amazed and perplexed, saying to one another, “What does this mean?” But others sneered and said, “They are filled with new wine.” But Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed them, “Men of Judea and all who live in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen to what I say. Indeed, these are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only nine o’clock in the morning. No, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

 ‘In the last days it will be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. Even upon my slaves, both men and women, in those days I will pour out my Spirit; and they shall prophesy. And I will show portents in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and smoky mist. The sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the coming of the Lord’s great and glorious day. Then everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.’ ”

Pentecost – what does it all mean? I will suggest to you that what it all means is this: It was G-d’s plan all along. That is what Pentecost means. It was G-d’s plan all along—and G-d planned to use the least likely of people to pull it off – but isn’t that always G-d’s way? The first Pentecost sermon was preached by Peter – and after his three time denial of Jesus, you would think G-d might select someone more qualified or more committed to preach such a sermon. Yet, the Lord picked someone lacking as many qualifications as you and me. After all:

Peter denied Christ – just like we often deny Christ in the decisions we make.

Peter often spoke out of turn and without thinking – just like we often speak out of turn and without thinking. And Peter was often afraid – just like we often are afraid, especially to speak to others about Jesus. In other words, it is our humanness that initially disqualifies us in many, many ways.

What qualified Peter for preaching that Pentecost sermon was:

1.        He was chosen by G-d

2.        He had the power of the Spirit

3.        He was open to the Spirit.

In receiving the Holy Spirit, Peter seems to go through some physical, or ontological, or even meta-physical change – because he was empowered – and there seems to be no other reason to explain his complete reversal. He had to open himself up to the Holy Spirit—it is the only way—it is the way the Spirit works: Though hearing, through seeing, and through speaking.

Seeing the work of G-d in our lives takes focus—it takes real focus. Yes, the big ways that G-d works in our lives often smack us over the head. But when G-d works in the small, everyday sorts of ways, there is more of a chance that we will miss them. After all, we get busy trying to survive—hoping to thrive—waiting to die—maybe even baking a pie (I needed a word to rhyme with die). In other words, we get so busy it is easy to miss G-d’s presence in our lives. If you remember the Old Testament stories about G-d’s presence, the people of Israel knew G-d’s presence as fire—fire consuming their sacrifices, fire leading them through the wilderness, G-d speaking to Moses and Abraham through fire.

How do you see G-d’s presence in your lives? It is a necessary and important question to ask ourselves—individually and as the church. How do we see G-d active in our lives? Do you feel or see the fire of the Spirit—or can others see the fire of the Spirit in you?

Pastor Dave